The days are getting shorter and the nights are getting longer, which means Christmas is right around the corner! Are you ready to get in the Christmas spirit or would you just like a nice, festive break from studying for exams? Check out these three Christmas markets in and near Maastricht:
- Maastricht (NL)
The Christmas market in our very own city opened last Friday on the 29th of November and will be open 
until the 31st of December. It is open all days of the week, from 10 or 11 until midnight or even 1:00 in the morning. You can enjoy some glühwein, some sweets such as poffertjes or churros, or even some bratwurst and fries if you’re in the mood for more food (and honestly, who isn’t?). In addition to Christmas socks/jumpers and food, you will also find a ferris wheel in which you can enjoy a view over the entire city, and you can go ice skating! Check out Social Deal for a nice discount on ice skates rental, the ferris wheel and some vouchers for drinks.
- Valkenburg (NL)
The Christmas market in Valkenburg is one of my favourites! (And trust me, I have visited my fair share of Christmas market, so this means something). Located in the caves of Valkenburg, this market has an even more cosy feel than your usual Christmas market. In fact: there are two! They have one in the Velvet Cave, and one the Municipal Cave. The fact you are in a cave, together with all the historic drawings on the walls, the Christmas lights and metres of miniature villages makes for a truly enchanting experience. Are you in 
need of Christmas decorations for your tree? A gift for your family or friends? Lots of amazing food? Christmas jumpers, socks or blankets? You can find all this and more in the caves! “Christmas Town Valkenburg” is already open and will be until the 5 January 2020.
NB: You will have to buy tickets for the Christmas markets in Valkenburg. It may be busy as it is quite popular; you may even have to queue as they allow a limited number of people in the caves at a time due to fire safety. You can purchase tickets for the markets and more (for example for the sculpture festival and ice skating) on their website: https://www.christmastownvalkenburg.com/tickets/
Not into Christmas markets or unable to go to Valkenburg, but still interested in caves? Check out the caves in Maastricht with a tour from Maastricht Underground! For more information, see their website: https://www.exploremaastricht.nl/en/maastricht-underground
- Aachen (DE)
Last but not least on this list of nearby Christmas markets is a Christmas market located abroad! Up for some adventure or just desperate to get out of the Netherlands for a bit? In Aachen, you will find the Christmas 
market stalls located around the beautiful Cathedral and town hall. Indulge in mulled wine which you can find on every corner of the street, or try some delicious Aachener Printen (some may compare it to Lebkuchen-style gingerbread, but this comparison really does not do them justice). Moreover, the historical streets of the centre are the perfect place for a nice walk. With bakeries on every corner, you will not have to worry about getting hungry!
You will have to visit this one before Christmas, as it is open until the 23rd of December. To visit Aachen, you can take either the train or the bus from Maastricht Station.
Hopefully this blog gave you some ideas for Christmas markets to visit or at least got you in the Christmas spirit. If you want more advise on fun Christmas markets to visit or have suggestions for me, feel free to come up to me! Good luck with studying for the last exams of the year, and Merry (early) Christmas!
Lots of love,
Simone